Blast feed stoker



May 5, 1936.

H. P. ANDERSON BLAST FEED STOKER Filed Aug. 2, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l A TTORNE Y May 5, 1936,

H. P. ANDERSON BLAST FEED STOKER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 2, 1929 INVENTOR Mward-Pflnaewm VYNII.

Patented May 5, 1936 NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BLAST FEED STOKER Application August 2,

10 Claims.

The invention relates to blast feed stokers for locomotives or like boilers and its principal object is to provide an extremely simple and highly effective means for transferring the fuel forward from a locomotive tender or other source of supply to the fire.

In devices of this character it has heretofore been customary to provide mechanism such as screw conveyers, paddles, agitators and the like to convey the fuel from a source of supply and to raise it to a point above the level of the fire for distribution thereover.

It is one of the objects of this invention to obviate the necessity for such mechanism and at the same time, provide for the transfer and elevation of the fuel by propelling the material in a free and loose form through conduits and scatter it over all parts of the fire.

It is a further object to provide an apparatus of this character so constructed that the number of moving and wearing parts approaches, if not practically reaches, the irreducible minimum, thereby minimizing the manufacturing and maintenance costs, and reducing the possibility of failure of the parts or of the apparatus when in use.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a fragmentary detail vertical central section through the rear portion of a locomotive and the forward portion of its tender, with the preferred embodiment of the stoker of this invention shown in position thereon;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the structure shown in Figure 1, with the firebox backwall in section taken in a plane through the firing opening above the stoker conduit; and

Figures 3 and 4, are similar views to Figures 1 and 2, respectively, illustrating a modified form of the invention.

The stoker of this invention is applicable for use with various kinds of furnaces but it is especially adapted for use with locomotives and tenders of the form indicated by the numerals I0 and l I respectively, which locomotive is provided with a firebox l2 having a backwall 13 with a firin opening !4 therein located a substantial distance above the grates [5, the locomotive further being provided with a cab it having a floor or firing deck ll.

The tender Il may be of any suitable form either having an enclosed fuel bin or an open one, the latter being of usual construction and 1929, Serial No. 383,139

the drawings illustrate the usual construction having a supply bin l8 above its floor I 9 equipped with any desired number of sliding plates 20, movable to form an opening in the floor through which the fuel drops by gravity to the fuel crushing and feeding mechanism.

The preferred embodiment of the invention selected to illustrate the invention is shown in Figures 1 and 2, and comprises a means for receiving the fuel from the supply bin of the tender and crushing such lumps as may be too large for delivery to the firebox, and a conduit system extending from the crushing means to the firebox and through which the fuel is propelled by a pressure fluid blast.

It will be understood throughout the specification and claims that the portion of the conveying system at which the fuel is received is denoted as the rear and that the portion of the conveying system from which the fuel is discharged is denoted as the front, and the various parts of the conveying system are located with reference thereto.

Any suitable means or mechanism may be mounted on the tender for receiving and crushing the material and passing it into the zone of action of the propelling blast, but for the purpose of illustrating a specific use of the invention there is shown for this purpose a trough 25 fixed below the floor IQ of the tender opening upwardly in communication with and adapted to receive the fuel through the openings in the fioor l9 created by shifting of the slide plates 26, this arrangement of trough and plates being well known in the art. A screw conveyer 26 is rotatably mounted within the trough 25, this screw being driven, preferably, from its rearward end. by any suitable gearing and driving means. The fuel dropping into the trough 25 is conveyed forwardly by the screw 26 to and somewhat beyond the crusher member 2'5 which is disposed above and to one side of the screw, and so arranged therewith that only such lumps as are too large for firing will be crushed or broken down to a smaller size. The forward end of the trough 25 terminates in the extension 28 having a spherical shell 29 formed at its forward end to receive the horizontally split spherical coupling member 30, and the screw 26 extends beyond the crusher into the extension 28 for delivering the fuel into the coupling member.

The conduit system through which the fuel is propelled from the end of the screw 26 to the firebox comprises the intermediate telescoping conduit 3| and the forward conduit 32 fixed to the backwall |3 of the firebox I2. The mouth portion 33 of the forward conduit section is in communication with and opens into the lower portion of the firing opening I3.

The intermediate conduit 3| comprises the rear section 34 fixed at its rearward face to the coupling member 30 and the forward section 35 telescoping with the rearward portion 34 and at its forward end having formed thereon a spherical flange 31 at the lower end of the forward conduit section 32. This construction of the intermediate conduit provides for the flexibility of the stoker parts necessary by reason of the movement between the locomotive and its tender.

A fuel directing or distributing plate 38 forms in effect a continuation of the floor portion of the conduit 32 extending through the lower portion of the firing opening and somewhat into the firebox from which the fuel is scattered over the grates |5 as hereinafter described.

A pressure fluid means for transferring the fuel from the crusher means to the firebox through the conduits 3|, 32 is provided and now described. This means comprises a series of nozzles as at 49 and 4| each of which is provided with jet openings 42 and 43, respectively, and steam or other pressure fluid is supplied to the nozzles through the supply pipes 44 and 45. There is also a forward nozzle 46 disposed in the floor of the conduit 32 in its mouth portion 33 rearward of the plate 38. Any number of jet openings 47 are formed in the forward face of this nozzle and steam or pressure fluid is supplied through the pipe or pipes 48.

In the operation of this form of the invention fuel from the supply bin l8 drops through the floor H! on the tender into the trough 25 from which it is conveyed forwardly by the screw 26 which in cooperation with the crusher member 21 crushes the larger lumps of fuel and delivers the material after it passes the crusher into the zone of action of the pressure fluid blast issuing from the nozzle 40. This blast propels the fuel forwardly through the intermediate conduit 3| into the forward conduit section 32 wherein the fuel is further propelled forward and raised upward by the pressure fluid blast issuing from the nozzle 4|. The blast from the nozzle 4| propels the fuel upward through the conduit 32 directing it against the hood 59 which is curved and inclined forward and downward to direct the fuel into the zone of action of the pressure fluid blast issuing from the nozzle 46, this last named blast functioning to blow the fuel from the mouth portion 33 of the conduit system and project it forwardly across the distributing plate 38 which by reason of its formation together with the angle of inclination of the jets of fluid forming the blast serves to scatter the fuel uniformly over all parts of the firebox on to the grates i5 or upon the flrebed on said grates. The nozzles 40, 4| and 46, may be of any width or form best suited or arranged for issuing combined and cooperative acting fluid blasts for progressively propelling the fuel from the crusher to the firebox and uniformly distributing it thereover. Any number of such nozzles as may be found necessary to propel the fuel may be used throughout the conduit system, the number of nozzles employed being dependent upon the length of the conduit, the size and grade of the fuel, and pressure and velocity of the propelling blast. It is preferred that superheated steam be supplied to the nozzles thereby creating a blast of comparatively dry fluid of high intensity.

It is apparent that any means for crushing lump fuel and delivering it into the zone of action of the propelling blast may be used without departing from the essence of the invention.

The maximum size of the lump fuel that it is possible to deliver to the firebox by the stoker of this invention is dependent upon the size of the conduits and the velocity of the pressure fluid blasts. The fuel propelling means of the invention is capable of receiving fuel of any grade or size from the crushing mechanism and propelling it by progressive pressure fluid blasts to the fire but it is especially adapted to deliver fuel such as coal of granulated form or of small lump.

Referring to Figures 3 and 4, there is illustrated a modified form of the invention. In this form the fuel is conveyed from the tender to a point on the locomotive, there being propelled by pressure fluid through a conduit to the fire. For this purpose there is provided the trough 60 fixed below the floor of the tender .and terminating in the extension 6| having the spherical shell 62 formed therewith and adapted to be received in the vertically split spherical coupling member 63. The coupling 63 is securely attached to the rear section 62 of the intermediate conduit indicated as a whole at 98 which also includes a forward section 64 telescoping with the rearward section 32 and having formed therewith at its forward end a spherical ball 65 which is received by the spherical horizontally split seat 66 which forms the lower end of a forward conduit section 61.

The forward conduit section 61 is fixed to the backwall of the locomotive by any suitable fastening means through its laterally extending flanges 68, 68a, and is supported at its lower end on the locomotive by the expansion plate 69. The mouth portion 70 of the forward conduit 61 communicates with and opens into the lower portion of the firing opening M of the locomotive firebox.

The fuel is conveyed from the tender and delivered into the forward inclined conduit 6'! by a screw conveyer comprising rearward and forward sections H and 12, respectively, and universally connected together at 13, the screw being adapted to be driven from its rearward end by any suitable means.

A crusher !4 is mounted at the forward end of the trough 60 in a position above the screw H to cooperate with the screw in crushing the larger lumps which are being conveyed forwardly from the trough by the screw section 1|.

The means for propelling fuel through the forward conduit comprises a pressure fluid blast issuing from the jet opening of the nozzle 76, the pressure fluid being supplied to this nozzle through a supply pipe as at 17. This means is assisted by a nozzle 18 disposed in the rearward wall of the forward conduit 6'! at its upper end a short distance below the hood 19. The pressure fluid blast issuing from the opening 88 of the nozzle 78 cooperates with the hood T9 to direct the fuel being propelled by the blast issuing from the nozzle '13 into the zone of action of a projecting and distributing pressure fluid blast issuing from the jet opening 8! of the nozzle 82, the fluid being supplied from a suitable source of supply through the pipe 83. The blast issuing from the nozzle 82 sweeps across the fuel distributing and directing plate 84 so formed as is well known in the art to direct the fuel in cooperation with the pressure fluid blast to all parts of the fire.

In the operation of the modified form of the invention it will be seen that the fuel is received from the supply bin by the trough 50 from which it is conveyed by the screw section H past the crusher 14, the combined action of both being to crush and break down the larger lumps of fuel to a suitable size for delivery to the :fire. The fuel is then conveyed through the intermediate conduit 63 by the screw section 12 and delivered to the lower end of the forward conduit 61 directly into the zone of action of the forwardly and upwardly directed pressure fluid blast issuing from the nozzle 16. This blast propels the fuel upwardly through the forward conduit with such intensity as to impinge the fuel against the cover 79 which is so formed as to direct the fuel forwardly and downwardly on to the plate 84 into the zone of action of the projecting and distributing blast from the nozzle 82. The assisting blast issuing from the nozzle 18 may be used if desired to further assist the pressure fluid blast issuing from the nozzle 16 to deliver the coal on to the distributing plate 84 and it also functions to prevent any possibility of clogging, or packing of the fuel at the mouth or hood portion of the conduit section 61.

It will be understood that any number of nozzles may be employed for propelling the fuel forwardly through the conduits and raising the material to a point above the level of the fire and that these nozzles may be disposed in the lower wall of the conduits as illustrated in the drawings or they may be located in the upper or side walls or in each of these if found desirable, and that any number of jet openings found desirable may be used with each nozzle.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that a very simple and highly efficient feed system is provided for transferring the fuel from the supply bin of the tender and elevating it to a point above the fire and distributing it over the fire in aerial paths. The propelling means of the invention is believed to be highly efiicient and. includes a series of nozzles for propelling the fuel from the supply bin to the fire, the foremost nozzle functioning to project and distribute the fuel over the fire, and the rearward nozzles serving to propel the fuel through the conduits and deliver the material into the zone of action of the blast issuing from said foremost nozzle.

It is thought that further modifications other than that shown may be used without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. In combination, a firebox having a grate and a firing opening through one of its walls above said grate, a fuel conduit inclined forwardly and upwardly outside said firebox and at its upper end terminating in a mouth portion communicating with said firing opening, a distributor member at the upper portion of said conduit forming the floor of said mouth portion and extending forwardly into said firing opening, a fuel distributing nozzle at the rear of said distributor member arranged to discharge a fluid blast across said member, the upper wall of said mouth portion comprising a hood curving forwardly from the rear wall of said conduit and extending to the firing opening, means for delivering fuel to the lower portion of said conduit, and a fuel propelling nozzle in the lower portion of said conduit receiving the fuel delivered thereto and discharging a fluid blast acting against the fuel to propel it upwardly and impinge the same against said hood, the resultant angle of impingement of the fuel with the hood being such that the fuel is directed forwardly and downwardly onto said distributor member forward of said fuel distributing nozzle whereby the blast issuing therefrom projects the fuel into the firebox onto the grate thereof.

2. In combination, afirebox having a grate and a firing opening through one of its walls above said grate, a fuel conduit inclined forwardly and upwardly outside said firebox and at its upper end terminating in a mouth portion communicating with said firing opening, a distributor member at the upper portion of said conduit forming the floor of said mouth portion and extending forwardly into said firing opening, a fuel distributing nozzle at the rear of said distributor member arranged to discharge a fluid blast across said member, the upper wall of said mouth por tion comprising a hood curving forwardly from the rear wall of said conduit and extending to the firing opening, means for delivering fuel to the lower portion of said conduit, and a primary fuel propelling nozzle in the lower portion of said conduit receiving the fuel delivered thereto and discharging a fluid blast acting against the fuel to propel it upwardly and impinge the same against said hood, the resultant angle of impingement of the fuel with the hood being such that the fuel is directed forwardly and downwardly onto said distributor member forward of said fuel dis-- tributing nozzle whereby the blast issuing therefrom projects the fuel into the firebox onto the grate thereof, and a secondary fuel propelling nozzle disposed in the rear wall of the conduit adjacent the mouth portion thereof arranged to direct a fluid blast against said hood to assist in deflecting the fuel into the path of the blast from said distributing nozzle.

3. In combination, a. firebox having a grate and a firing opening through one of its walls above said grate, an upstanding fuel conduit outside said firebox at its upper end terminating in a mouth portion communicating with said firing opening, a distributor member at the upper portion of said conduit forming the fioor of said mouth portion and extending forwardly into said firing opening, a fuel distributing nozzle at the rear of said distributor member arranged to discharge a fluid blast forwardly across said member, the upper wall of said mouth portion comprising a hood curving upwardly and inwardly from the rear wall of said conduit and at its forward portion sloping downwardly and terminating forward of said fuel distributing nozzle above said dislu'ibuting member, means for delivering fuel to the lower portion of said conduit, and a fuel propelling nozzle in the lower portion of said conduit receiving the fuel delivered thereto and discharging a fluid blast acting against the fuel to propel it upwardly and impinge the same against said hood, the resultant angle of impingement of the fuel with the hood being such that the fuel is directed forwardly and downwardly onto said distributor member forward of said fuel distributing nozzle whereby the blast issuing therefrom projects the fuel into the firebox onto the grate thereof.

4. In combination, a firebox having a grate and a firing opening through one of its walls above said grate, a source of fuel supply, a conduit system extending forwardly from said source of supply and terminating in a mouth portion communicating with said firing opening, said mouth portion including an arcuate roof, a series of pressure fluid blasts for propelling the fuel through said conduit system onto the grate by direct impingement of the fluid against the fuel,

the foremost blast of said series acting to project and spread the fuel in aerial paths over the fire onto said grate and rearward blasts propelling fuel through said conduit system to impinge the same against the roof of said mouth portion, the resultant angle of impingement of the fuel with said roof being such that the fuel is directed forwardly and downwardly into the zone of action of said foremost blast.

5. In combination, a firebox having a grate and a firing opening through one of its walls above said grate, a source of fuel supply, a conduit system extending forwardly from said source of supply and terminating in a mouth portion communicating with said firing opening, said mouth portion including an arcuate roof, a distributor member at the forward end of said conduit system, a fuel distributing nozzle rearward of said distributor member arranged to discharge a fluid blast across said member, pressure fluid means arranged to propel the fuel through said conduit system and impinge the game against the roof of said mouth portion of the conduit system, the resultant angle of impingement of the fuel with the roof of the mouth portion of said conduit system being such that the fuel is directed forwarclly and downwardly onto said distributor member into the zone of action of said fuel distributing nozzle whereby the blast issuing therefrom projects the fuel into the firebox and onto tr e grate thereof.

6. The combination, with a bunker for fragile material existing largely in lumps, said bunker having a bottom discharge opening, of a conduit having a trough-like section under said opening and a tubular section alined with and into which the first section discharges, said trough-like section being upwardly open substantially to the tubular section, means to advance to the tubular section the material falling into the trough-like section from the bunker including a revoluble screw extending lengthwise and having its fluted portion substantially wholly within the latter section, and fluid jet means arranged to discharge forwardly into the conduit forward of the fluted portion of the screw section.

'7. The combination, with a bunker for fragile material existing largely in lumps, said bunker having a bottom discharge opening, of a conduit having a trough-like section under said opening and a tubular section alined with and into which the first section discharges and having an enlargement of relatively large volume near the trough-like section, said trough-like section being upwardly open substantially to the tubular section, means to advance to the tubular section the material falling into the trough-like section from the bunker including a revoluble screw extending lengthwise of and having its fluted portion substantially wholly within the latter section, and a fluid jet means arranged to discharge forwardly into said enlargement.

8. The combination, with a bunker for fragile material existing largely in lumps, said bunker having a bottom discharge opening, of a conduit having a trough-like section under said opening and a tubular section alined with and into which the first section discharges and having an interior enlargement of relatively large volume near the trough-like section forming at its forward side a rearwardly facing shoulder, said troughlike section being upwardly open substantially to the tubular section, means to advance to the tubular section the material falling into the trough-like section from the bunker including a revoluble screw extending lengthwise of and having its fluted portion substantially wholly within the latter section, and a fluid jet means arranged at said enlargement to discharge forwardly into the latter.

9. The combination, with a bunker for fragile material existing largely in lumps, said bunker having a bottom discharge opening, of a conduit having a trough-like section under said opening and a tubular section communicating with and into which the first section discharges, said trough-like section being upwardly open substantially to the tubular section, means to ad- Vance to the tubular section the material falling into the trough-like section from the bunker including a revoluble screw extending lengthwise and having its fluted portion substantially wholly within the latter section, and fluid jet means arranged to discharge forwardly into the conduit forward of the fluted portion of the screw.

10. The combination, with a bunker for fragile material existing largely in lumps, said bunker having a bottom discharge opening, of a conduit having a trough-like section under said opening and a tubular section communicating with and into which the first section discharges, said trough-like section being upwardly open substantially to the tubular section, means to advance to the tubular section the material falling into the trough-like section from the bunker including a revoluble screw extending lengthwise and having its fluted portion substantially wholly within the latter section, and fluid jet means adjacent the delivery end of said screw and arranged to discharge forwardly into the conduit.

HOWARD P. ANDERSON. 

